1. Field of the Invention
There exists a large body of prior art patents all concerned with fuel/water emulsions being used to improve the combustion of liquid hydrocarbon fuels. Almost exclusively, these distinguish amongst themselves by patentable differences between the surfactants and co-surfactants used to create these emulsions.
It is well known that water can be used to improve the combustion of liquid hydrocarbon fuels used in internal combustion machines. Water being introduced into the combustion chamber either together with the fuel in the form of an emulsion (most common) or by injection into the combustion air stream (least common).
However, there is another pathway for water to enter the combustion chamber. Water can enter as an emulsion within the extremely small amount of engine crankcase lubricating oil which is always burned in all typical internal combustion machines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Water and lighter hydrocarbon fuels (gasoline and diesel) do not stay mixed long enough for combustion purposes and several strategies have been employed to achieve sufficient emulsion stability. U.S. Pat. No. 6,607,566 Coleman teaches using a small quantity of emulsifying agent and significant mechanical agitation to create fuel macro-emulsions (having water droplets greater than 1.0 microns diameter). U.S. Pat. No. 3,876,391 McCoy teaches fuel micro-emulsions (having water droplets smaller than 0.1 microns diameter) using significantly more emulsifying agents and less mechanical agitation.
Prior art water levels of 10,000 to 400,000 parts per million (“ppm”) in the fuel is generally accepted as necessary to achieve any worthwhile improvement in combustion. Typical of all this group of patents is U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,796 Hazbun.
US patent application # 20030226312 (Roos, et al) paragraph [0040] discloses the possibility of using engine oil (emulsions) to carry water soluble metallic compounds used to improve the efficiency of engine exhaust after-treatment devices. However, Roos does not disclose how any oil emulsions might be produced, nor do they claim any engine combustion benefits, neither do they cite any examples using this method.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,788 (Defalco and McCoy) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,310,419 (McCoy and Defalco) discloses using engine lubricating oil as a phosphate bath for water soluble compounds employed to form an iron-phosphate conversion coating surface in internal combustion engines. However, the disclosed additives contain phosphoric acid, an alkali metal hydroxide, a source of reactive NH2 groups and employ no surfactants. They are therefore clearly distinguishable from the present invention.